Briefs

February 23, 2006

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Titans fall short

Justin Van Dyke scored 20 points and pulled in 10 rebounds but Indiana University South Bend lost to St. Francis 67-53 in a Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference game Wednesday night. Gentry Hubert also recorded a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds, and teammate Scott McNeil added 11 points as the Titans fell to 3-25 overall and 1-10 in the conference.

Cripe selects Bethel Mandy Cripe, a center fielder from Northridge High School has committed to play softball at Bethel College for the 2006-07 season. As a junior, Cripe was selected first team All-Northern Lakes Conference after leading Northridge to a 29-2 record and a trip to the regional finals. She batted .367 with 19 RBIs and 22 runs scored. Cripe is also a member of the National Honors society, carrying a 3.77 GPA. GOLF

Tiger in a record runaway

Arms crossed, staring into the soul of his opponent, Tiger Woods looked as though he was wrapped up in one of those nerve-racking moments that define the Match Play Championship. Far, far from it. Ruthless to the end until his name was in the record books, Woods won the first nine holes -- seven of them with birdies -- and closed out Stephen Ames as early as mathematically possible, 9 and 8, Wednesday in Carlsbad, Calif. "It's been a while since I played one like that," Woods said with a smile. It was a chore for Scott Verplank, who matched the tournament record by going 26 holes before he finally disposed of Lee Westwood of England. Verplank spent six hours trudging through La Costa Resort. Woods was out there just over two hours. All it got both of them was a tee time today in the second round, with no guarantees. GOLF

AP denied access to LPGA

The Associated Press was denied credentials to cover the LPGA Fields Open tournament Wednesday, in Kapolei, Hawaii, in a dispute over new restrictions on use of its stories and photos. AP reporter Jaymes Song was not allowed on the course during Wednesday's practice rounds or in the media room to cover Michelle Wie's pretournament news conference after refusing to sign the credential form with the new restrictions. Freelance photographer Ronen Zilberman also refused to sign the form and was denied a credential. The tournament begins today. Without an agreement, AP sports editor Terry Taylor said the AP will not provide photographs or other news coverage of LPGA events but will carry final scores. The LPGA said the restrictions were in line with other pro sports organizations and would not limit news-gathering access, but were "designed to maintain and protect the LPGA's existing rights regarding images used for commercial purposes unrelated to news coverage." The AP, however, said the proposed regulations would limit its use of stories and photos after a tournament ended and would give the LPGA broad rights to use that material for its own purposes at no charge. "Any stories and photos produced by AP staffers belong to AP," Taylor said. "We cannot accept this attempt by the LPGA to put such severe limits on AP's editorial use of its own work, and we can't accept any demand that AP provide free use of its material as a condition for being allowed to cover an event." FOOTBALL

Clarett pleads not guilty

Former Ohio State star tailback Maurice Clarett pleaded not guilty to robbery charges alleging he flashed a gun at two people behind a bar early on New Year's Day and took a cell phone, a court clerk said Wednesday. Clarett entered his plea Tuesday at the court clerk's office in order to avoid the news media at an arraignment that had been scheduled for Friday in Franklin County Common Pleas Court, his attorney, William Settina, said. Settina had the option to bring Clarett in anytime before Friday, he said. Clarett, 22, got into a sport utility vehicle with two men after he was identified by the bar owner, who happened to come out into the alley, police said. No one was injured. Clarett, who led Ohio State to the 2002 national championship, was sought by police for almost two days before he turned himself in about the time the Buckeyes were completing a win over Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 2. Clarett was ordered to stay away from the two people he allegedly confronted outside the bar when entered the plea, deputy court clerk Duane Williams said. The order is a routine requirement in robbery cases, he said. He also had to surrender his passport and was released on his own recognizance. He previously had been freed on a $50,000 bond, which had expired. Last month, Clarett was indicted on two counts of aggravated robbery, four lesser robbery charges and a charge of carrying a concealed weapon. Clarett had previous legal problems. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor after admitting he lied when he said $10,000 in clothing, CDs, cash and stereo equipment were stolen from his car in the summer of 2003. Ohio State suspended Clarett for misleading investigators, and for receiving special benefits worth thousands of dollars from a family friend. Clarett dropped out of Ohio State, then challenged the NFL's requirement that players wait three years after high school before turning pro. The case went to the U.S. Supreme Court before Clarett lost.